Attenborough receives theater award

British legit org fetes Almeida a.d.

Michael Attenborough, a.d. of London’s off-West End Almeida theater, has been presented with the Award for Excellence In International Theater by the British Center of the International Theater Institute.

Under Attenborough’s decade-long tenure, the 321-seat house has presented a notably diverse program, including European premieres of plays from U.S. dramatists including three by Neil LaBute (“The Mercy Seat,” “In a Dark, Dark House,” “Reasons to Be Pretty,”) plus Gina Gionfriddo’s “Becky Shaw,” David Mamet’s “Romance” and Theodore Ward’s “Big White Fog.” In addition to further U.S. classics, Attenborough has also directed Ingmar Bergman’s “Through a Glass Darkly,” Australian Andrew Bovell’s “When the Rain Stops Falling” and the current production of “Filumena” by Italian dramatist Eduardo de Filippo.

Attenborough said: “I am honored and flattered to be given this prestigious award from such a distinguished and hugely respected organization, particularly when previous winners have included directors such as Peter Brook and Michael Grandage and the panel contains many admired theater practitioners.”